Crossing for underground cable railways



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

W. H. PAGE. CROSSING FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE RAILWAYS. No. 481,966.

INVENTOR: #141 I i Patented Sept. 6, 1892.

@ mau fit...

' WITNESSES: fig A 6%. Q

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. PAGE. GROSSING FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE RAILWAYS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1892,

WITNESSES: 6 6

INVENTOR:

cm, mlmm, wumnaron, n. c.

UNITED WVILLIAIWI HANSELL'PAGE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CROSSING FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,966, dated September 6, 1892.

Application filed January 14, 1892. Serial No. 418,026. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HANSELL PAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crossings for Underground Cable Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to awell-known class of devices employed in connection with the crossings of two lines of underground traction railway cables, to furnish a motive power to transport a car across the interval during its passage'through which its grip must be released from its traction cable when the latter happens to be the cable which passes beneath the cable it crosses.

My invention further relates to that par ticular subdivision of the foregoing class in which supplemental endless belts or chains are employed to furnish the motive power to the car in its transit over the crossing.

It is the object of my invention to provide simple durable and inexpensive means for drawing the car across the crossing, adapted to be contained in the main conduit, and to be operated by the main cable.

Devices embodying my improvements are represented in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described, the particular subj ect matter which I claim as novel being definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is aground plan of a crossing, exhibiting the usual arrangement of tracks slots and cables. Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation of a crossing constructed in accordance with my invention and embodying a preferred form of my improvements. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification of the same, as adapted for use in connection with a crossing in which one or two cables cross two other cables. Fig. 4 is a side elevational detail of a supplemental grip Which I employ in connection with my sup plemental chains, a section of one of which latter is also represented. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary magnified elevational detail of a portion of a sprocket wheel and of two links of one of my supplemental chains.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the main cable or that which is caused to pass below the cable B which it crosses.

O are the rails of the main track, and D the rails of the track which said main track crosses.

Ct represents the slot of the conduit for the main cable formed with the usual grip-defleeting bends a and b the slot of the conduit for the crossing cable.

E,Fig. 2, is a car upon the main track.

F F F and G G G are, respectively, two series, each conveniently of three, of combined sprocket wheels and pulleys suitably housed in the main conduit in near relation to its slot, and as to their pulley rims conformed to receive the tread of the main cable A and to be frictionally driven thereby, as shown. In the illustration, the wheels F are in advance of the crossing cable 13 and the wheels G beyond it. Intermediate between these two series is a depressing tension pulley H, being an idler, beneath which the main cable is bent as shown. This idler is preferably in alignment below the crossing cable B. The sprocket faces of the wheels F and G respectively engage with supplemental endless motor sprocket chainsf and g, the former in advance of the crossing and the latter beyond it, and are adapted under the rotation imparted to them by the action of their pulley faces which are as stated frictionally driven by the main cable, to impart movement to the supplemental motor chains in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2. Each of said motor chains being driven in the same direction, in

order to permit of the close approach of the upper or carrying surfaces of both of the aforesaid chains to the slot of the crossing cables, an important feature of my invention, and one by which any gap is avoided, the chains are extended and carried respectively over idler sprocket wheels f and 9 located, as shown, in proximity to the crossing slot and cable.

I is a supplemental motor chain grip applied to the car, and especially illustrated in Fig. 4:. It is, as in the case of the main cable grip, entered through the slot of the conduit, and is as to its under face toothed or provided with a series of teeth '5 as shown. This grip is applied to any convenient part of the car, preferably to the front platform, and may be operated by ahand lever i. It is adapted at will to be engaged with or disengaged from the supplemetal motor chainsf and g, and by its engagement with them to insure the transportation of the car over the crossing, the supplemental motor chains constantly travel ing so long as the main cable is running.

In Fig. 3 is represented a modification of my invention, in which provision is made for carrying the main cable beneath two crossing cables B B. In this embodiment the main cable A actuates by frictional contact a driving pulley J with which is connected at sprocket wheel j which drives an endless connecting sprocket chain jfiwhich in turn drives a driven double sprocket wheel j, actuating an endless supplemental motor sprocket chain f, which is at its initial bend sustained upon a combined pulley and sprocket wheel F and at its other end passes over an idler sprocket wheel 1, and intermediately passes over and drives a double sprocket wheel K. This wheel K in turn drives an auxiliary endless sprocket chain 70, which also passes over and drives a second double sprocket wheel 7%, which in turn drivesa second auxiliary endless sprocket chain 7c,which in turn passes over and drives a triple sprocket wheel L, supporting and driving an intermediate endless driving sprocket chain M, disposed between the crossing cables B B, and above the tension roller II beneath which the main cable is bent. As applied the driving chain M occupies a triangular relation by being extended to pass over idler sprocket wheels on m adjacent re spectively to the crossing cables and the idler sprocket wheels Q and f k is a third auxiliary endless sprocket chain, driven by the triple sprocket wheel L, and in turn driving a double sprocket wheel which in turn drives a fourth auxiliary endless sprocket chain 7.: which drives a double sprocket wheel not shown but corresponding to the sprocket wheel K, and which in connection with the main cable, and, if desired, asecond driving pulley the counterpart of the pulley J, drives the supplemental endless motor sprocket chain g. As will be observed from a contemplation of the arrows applied to them, the three supplemental motor sprocket chains f, M, g, are all driven in the same direction, and serve as driving chains to transport the car across the crossing cables or through the space during its passage over which the main cable grip of the car is disengaged.

In Fig. 5 is represented in detail a form of endless motor chain which I find it convenient to employ to compose the supplemental motor cablesfM g. This chain is composed of links, the bodies of which are designated by the letter N, and which are provided upon the one side with a pair of apertured lugs n and upon the other side with a single apertured lug n for the connection of the bodies together by bolts 0 which pass through the apertures of the lugs n of a given link and of the lug a ot the adjoining link. The bodies of these links are extended downwardly to form sprocket teeth 12 adapted to engage with the teeth 19 of any sprocket wheel of the system, the wheel represented being designated as 1?. The bodies of the links are also extended upwardly to form the grip teeth a substantially of the form shown, and which are adapted in the action of the device to engage the teeth dot the supplemental motor grip.

It is obvious that a chain of the foregoing construction will be adapted not only to be driven with certainty, but also with certainty through the supplemental grip to drive the car.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a main cable which is carried beneath a crossing cable, a crossing cable, conduits for said cables, slots in said conduits, a main track, a crossing track,a car upon the main track provided with a cable grip and with asupplemental toothed motor chain grip, twoendlesssupplementalmotorchainsapplied within the main conduit one at each side of the crossing cable and both carried into such proximity to saidcrossing cable as to leave merely a grip space or way between them, and combined pulleys and sprocket Wheels adapted to respectively support the main cable and the supplemental motor chains, to be driven by said main cable, and to drive said supplemental motor chains, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cable crossing device, in combination with supporting and driving sprocket wheels in the main conduit and with a supplemental toothed motor grip upon the car, an endless motor chain composed of links formed with apertured lugs, sprocket teeth, and grip teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 26th day of December, A. D. 1891.

WILLIAM HANSELL PAGE.

In presence of- J. BONSALL TAYLOR, F. NORMAN DIXON. 

